The Philippines, upon orders of President Benigno Aquino III, pulled
its government vessels out of the lagoon during the height of Typhoon
Butchoy (international codename: Guchol) two weeks ago.

Del Rosario has expected the same move from Beijing but China denied
that it has made any commitments to the Philippines about the pullout of
their government vessels.

Aquino, in an earlier statement, said the government is studying the
possibility of redeploying Philippine vessels—Philippine Coast Guard and
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources—to the area if Chinese
vessels refuse to leave the shoal.

The continuous fishing of Chinese-manned boats in the region is seen
as a violation of the indefinite fishing ban imposed there by both
countries to “replenish maritime resources.”

China and the Philippines are locked in months-long standoff that
originated when Chinese government ships prevented Philippine officials
from capturing eight Chinese fishermen who were caught illegally
poaching in the shoal.

The shoal is being claimed both by Manila and Beijing.

The Philippines’ claims are based on geographical proximity since the
shoal sits well within its 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone
(EEZ) and Continental Shelf founded in the United Nations Convention of
the Law of the Sea (Unclos).

China, however, lays claim on virtually 90 percent of the West
Philippine Sea (South China Sea) based on its nine-dash line that falls
on territories under the jurisdiction of its Asian neighbors.

The United States recently backed up the Philippine initiative to
bring the matter before the UN-backed International Tribunal on the Law
of the Sea (Itlos), which was based in Hamburg, Germany.

But Beijing already earlier rejected any proposition that will invite third parties into the regional dispute.